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Coffee Macarons

This week we’re making coffee macarons! They’re filled with a creamy coffee buttercream and taste like an amazing cup of coffee.

image of coffee macarons decorated with a drizzle of dark chocolate and a coffee bean

Making Macarons with the French Method

There are quite a few different ways to make macarons, including the Italian, Swiss, and French Method!

I’m a fan of the French method, mostly because of its simplicity! The French method whisks egg whites together with a bit of sugar to create a French meringue with stiff peaks.

This meringue is then folded into a mixture of finely ground almonds and powdered sugar. This process of folding the meringue into the dry ingredients is called macaronage.

No matter what method you use, macarons require expertise to mix the batter the perfect amount to achieve that elusive, lava-like consistency.

Equipment You’ll Need to Make These Coffee Macarons

Like I mentioned above, these coffee macarons don’t require a ton of equipment!

However, I find they turn out best when the ingredients are weighed, and the macarons are baked on a silpat mat. As macarons bake, they usually spread less on silpat mats than parchment paper.

Below is a list of tools and equipment I like to use when I make macarons:

Making Coffee Macarons – Step by Step Process

While the recipe below is quite detailed, I find visual cues to be super helpful!

Below are some photos and a video tutorial of the process to help guide you through this recipe for coffee macarons.

Step #1: Prep Your Ingredients and Equipment to Make These Coffee Macarons

After weighing your ingredients, wipe down your mixing bowl and whisk attachment with a bit of vinegar or lemon juice. This removes any traces of grease and helps the meringue whip up properly.

Step #2: Sift Your Dry Ingredients

Sift your superfine almond flour, powdered sugar, and cocoa powder. This ensures your macaron shells turn out nice and smooth.

image of dry ingredients being sifted into bowl

Step #3: Make French Meringue

Next, it’s time to make the French meringue! Whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar on a medium speed until soft peaks form.

Next, add in the granulated sugar and mix on a medium speed for 30 seconds to help the sugar incorporate into the egg whites.

Once the sugar is incorporated, mix on a medium high speed until stiff peaks form. This can be done with a stand mixer or hand mixer.

Keep a close eye on your mixer to avoid over mixing your meringue. Stop the mixer once you notice texture as the meringue mixes, and the meringue begins to gather in the whisk.

image of french meringue on a whisk of a kitchenaid mixer that has stiff peaks

Step #4: Mix the Dry Ingredients into The Meringue

Mix the dry ingredients into the meringue in two additions.

The batter should form a thick ribbon that flows off your spatula when it’s lifted.

image of coffee macaron batter flowing off a spatula when lifted to show that is the perfect consistency and is ready to be piped

A great way to test the consistency of your batter is the figure 8 test. This is when you lift your spatula and see if you can draw a figure 8 with the batter running off your spatula in one consistent stream.

You should be able to draw a couple figure 8s once your macaron batter is the right consistency.

image of coffee macaron batter that has passed the figure 8 test and has been mixed to the right consistency

Step #5: Pipe the Macaron Shells

Fill a large piping bag with the macaron batter and pipe 1 1/4-inch rounds onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1-inch apart.

Firmly bang or drop your pans on the counter a few times to bring any trapped air bubbles to the surface and pop them with a toothpick. This can help you avoid hollow or cracked shells.

image of coffee macaron shells being piped onto a silicone mat

Step #6: Rest Your Piped Macaron Shells

Next let the macarons rest for 30 minutes until they form a skin.

They should be mostly dry to the touch and look matte once they’re ready to be baked! While the shells rest preheat your oven.

image of coffee macaron shells that have been piped and banged on a counter to release any air bubbles, which are being popped with a scribe

Step #7: Bake the Chocolate Macaron Shells

Bake one tray of macarons at a time and rotate the pan half way through to help them bake evenly. Bake time will vary based on your oven. I have an old gas oven and find that baking my shells for about 16.5 minutes is the sweet spot for me!

Let the macarons cool fully on the pan then gently remove them from the silpat mat.

image of coffee flavored french macaron shells that have been baked and are cooling on. silpat mat

Step #8: Assembling These Coffee Macarons

Pipe a dollop of coffee buttercream onto one macaron shell and top it with a second shell.

Drizzle a bit of melted chocolate over the top of each macaron and tip with a coffee bean.

Let the chocolate cool and firm up, then place the finished macarons in an airtight container or Ziploc bag and chill in the fridge overnight before enjoying!

image of coffee macarons filled with coffee buttercream and decorated with a drizzle of dark chocolate and a coffee bean

Coffee Macaron Troubleshooting

I’d love to think everyone’s first batch of coffee macarons will turn out perfectly, but my own experience has taught me that’s not always the case.

Macarons can be incredibly temperamental, and it might take a few tries to get them just right.

If you run into any issues, please check out my detailed French macaron troubleshooting guide.

image of full macaron shells that have been flavored with instant coffee

Choosing the Right Filling for Your Coffee Macarons

While we put tons of energy into the shell of a macaron, almost all the flavor in a macaron comes from its filling.

The shell gives the macarons an incredible texture, but the filling is what determines its flavor. You can use just about any type of frosting or ganache to fill macarons.

I have a big sweet tooth, so I love making coffee buttercream to fill these macarons. It makes them taste just like a delicious cup of joe! I also love the contrast between the sweet buttercream and the slightly bitter taste of espresso.

image of coffee macarons filled with coffee buttercream that have bitten into to show their full, perfect shells

If you don’t want your macarons to be super sweet, I recommend using Italian buttercream or Swiss meringue frosting instead!

Coffee Macaron Recipe Yield

This recipe makes about 36 macaron shells, which can be used to make 18 macarons. You can double or triple this recipe to make more macarons if needed.

The yield and bake time will also vary based on the size of macarons you pipe. I pipe my shells with a diameter of about 1 1/4 inches.

image of coffee macarons filled with coffee buttercream and decorated with a drizzle of dark chocolate and a coffee bean

Tips for Making the Best Coffee Macarons

  • Wipe your mixing bowl and whisk with lemon juice or vinegar to remove any traces of grease before making your meringue. It will help your egg whites whip up better!
  • Separate your own eggs and age them if possible. Do not use egg whites from a carton.
  • Measure your ingredients in grams with a kitchen scale. You really need to be precise with this recipe and your macarons will turn out best if the ingredients are weighed.
  • Use superfine almond flour rather than trying to make your own! It more consistently yields great macarons.
  • Carefully read through the directions before making these macarons. There are quite a few steps and it’s good to know your game plan before you start!
  • Use a macaron mat or print out a template to help you pipe consistently sized macarons.
  • FIRMLY bang/drop your pans on your counter after piping your macarons. This helps release any air bubbles that may be trapped and prevent cracked or hollow shells.
  • Rest the macarons for 30 minutes (or until they develop a skin) before baking them. This will help the feet develop properly!
  • If you’re not super familiar with your oven, pipe a small number of macarons on a few sheets to test your oven for hot spots and to see if it bakes accurately. This way you won’t waste a whole tray of macs if your oven runs hot or cold.
  • Let your macarons mature! Letting them rest overnight while they are filled softens them (in a good way) and allows the flavors to develop.
  • If you run into any issues making these macarons, please check out my macaron troubleshooting guide.

Making These Coffee Macarons in Advance & Storage Tips

  • You need to let French macarons mature for a few hours or overnight in the fridge before eating them. This gives them their best texture and taste.
  • Store macarons at room temperature for up to 2 days in an airtight container.
  • Refrigerate macarons for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
  • Freeze filled macarons for up to a month in an airtight container.
  • Unfilled macaron shells can be frozen for up to a month in an airtight container.
  • Make your filling ahead of time too or save any leftover filling! It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to a month.
image of coffee macaron shells with perfect feed that have baked and cooled that are ready to be filled

Let Me Know What You Think!

If you try this recipe for coffee macarons, I’d love to hear what you think of it! Let me know by sharing a comment and rating below.

Tag me @chelsweets and use the #chelsweets on social media so that I can see your amazing creations!

Other Recipes You Might Like:

Yield: 18 macarons

Coffee Macarons

image of coffee macarons decorated with a drizzle of dark chocolate and a coffee bean

Learn how to make the best coffee macarons! They're filled with a creamy coffee buttercream and taste like an amazing cup of coffee.

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 17 minutes
Additional Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 7 minutes

Ingredients

Coffee Macaron Shells

Coffee Buttercream Frosting

  • 56g unsalted butter, room temperature (1/4 cup)
  • 4g vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (1 tsp)
  • 2g salt (1/4 tsp)
  • 15g heavy cream (1 Tbsp)
  • 2g instant espresso or coffee powder(2 tsp)
  • 125g powdered sugar (1 cup)

Optional Decorations

  • 45g dark chocolate, melted
  • 18 coffee beans

Equipment

Instructions

Coffee Macarons

  1. Sift 70g superfine almond flour, 63g powdered sugar and 1g instant espresso into a large bowl and set aside.
  2. Pour 55g of aged egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk and mix on a medium speed until the surface of the egg whites is covered in small bubbles. Add in a pinch of cream of tartar and continue to mix until your reach the soft peak stage.
  3. Add 55g of granulated sugar into the eggs and mix on a medium speed for 30 seconds then increase the mixing speed to a medium-high speed. Keep mixing until stiff, glossy peaks form.
  4. Fold the dry ingredients into the meringue using circular motion until a thick ribbon of batter runs off the spatula when it's lifted. I like to perform the figure-8 test to check my consistency! This is when you lift your spatula and see if you can draw a figure 8 with the batter running off your spatula in one consistent stream. You should be able to draw a couple figure 8s once your macaron batter is the right consistency.
  5. Pour the batter into a large piping bag fit with a medium-sized round piping tip and pipe 1 1/4 inch rounds on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1 inch apart.
  6. Bang the pans firmly on the counter a few times to release air bubbles, then pop any remaining air bubbles that come to the surface with a scribe or toothpick.
  7. Let the macarons rest for 30 minutes to develop a skin. The macarons should look matte once the skin has formed.
  8. As the macarons rest, preheat your oven to 315 F.
  9. Bake one tray of macarons at a time on the middle rack of your oven for 15-18 minutes and rotate your pan halfway through (the sweet spot in my oven is 16.5 minutes, but every oven varies!)
  10. Remove from oven and let the macarons cool on the pan (about 15 minutes), then gently remove them from the silpat mat.

Coffee Buttercream Frosting

  1. Beat 56g of room-temperature butter on a medium speed for 1-2 minutes with a whisk attachment until it becomes lighter in color and smooth.
  2. Mix in 4g vanilla extract and 2g salt on a low speed.
  3. In a small bowl, mix together 15g of heavy cream and 2g of instant espresso or coffee until the instant espresso is dissolved.
  4. Pour this into the butter mixture along with 125g of powdered sugar and mix on a low speed.
  5. Continue to mix on low for a couple minutes until the ingredients are fully incorporated and the desired consistency is reached. 
  6. If the frosting is too thick, add in additional heavy cream or milk (1 tsp at a time). If the frosting is too thin, add in more powdered sugar (1 Tbsp at a time).
  7. Place the buttercream in a small piping bag, and seal the top with a rubber band. Set aside.

Assembling These Coffee Macarons

  1. Pipe a dollop of coffee buttercream or frosting of your choice around one macaron shell. Gently press a second shell on top of the frosting to create a sandwich.
  2. Drizzle a bit of melted chocolate over the top of each macaron and tip with a coffee bean.
  3. Let the chocolate cool and firm up, then place the finished macarons in an airtight container or ZipLoc bag and chill in the fridge overnight before enjoying!

Notes

Recipe Yield:

This recipe makes about 36 small macaron shells, which can be used to make 18 macarons. You can double or triple this recipe to make more macarons if needed.

The yield and bake time can vary based on how large you pipe your shells. I piped these shells with a diameter of about 1 and 1/4 inch, so they're a tiny bit smaller than a standard macaron.

Tips for Making the Best Coffee Macarons

  • Measure your ingredients in grams with a kitchen scale! You really need to be precise with this recipe. Your macarons will turn out best if the ingredients are weighed.
  • Separate your own eggs and age them if possible! Do not use egg whites from a carton.
  • Carefully read through the directions before making these macarons. There are quite a few steps and it's good to know your game plan before you start!
  • Use a macaron mat or print out a template to help you pipe consistently sized macarons.
  • FIRMLY bang your pans on your counter after piping your macarons. This helps release any air bubbles that may be trapped and prevent cracked or hollow shells.
  • Rest your macarons for 30 minutes before they're baked to allow them to develop a skin.
  • Pipe a small number of macarons on a mat to test your oven for hot spots and see if it bakes accurately. This way you won't waste a whole tray of macs if your oven runs hot or cold.
  • Let your macarons mature in the fridge overnight! Letting them rest overnight while they are filled softens them (in a good way) and allows the flavors to develop.
  • If your first batch of macarons doesn't turn out, please check out the troubleshooting section above for help!

Making These Coffeeoffee Macarons in Advance & Storage Tips

  • French macarons need to mature overnight (or ideally 24 hours) in the fridge before being eaten! They taste best 24 hours after being made.
  • Macarons can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days in an airtight container.
  • Macarons can be refrigerated for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
  • Filled macarons can be frozen for up to a month, but the length can vary based on the filling.
  • Unfilled macaron shells can be frozen for up to a month in an airtight container.
  • Your filling can be made ahead of time too or save any leftover filling! It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to a month.

Nutrition Information

Yield

18

Serving Size

1

Amount Per Serving Calories 135Total Fat 7gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 4gCholesterol 28mgSodium 71mgCarbohydrates 18gFiber 1gSugar 16gProtein 3g

Failed macafon

Saturday 9th of April 2022

These are very bad.. the almond flower was way too much even tho I precisely measured each ingredient. My batter was so thick it’d turn into dough if only the almond flower was a little more. Poor experience

Rachel

Monday 26th of April 2021

Hi, this is not related to the macaroon recipe although they look delicious! I am wondering what brand, where to get, etc. the wide icing smoother you used in your wedding cake tutorial.

Thank you!

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